Chevrolet Silverado EV Max beats EV range record with 1,059.2 miles

A 2026 Chevrolet Silverado EV Max Range Work Truck recently broke the EV range world record after traveling 1,059.2 miles during a GM range test, according to a GM news release. 

The truck beat a previous world record of 749 miles set by Lucid earlier this summer, the release says. 

“What started out as casual conversation among a group of GM engineers in late 2024 quickly turned into a challenge: How far could the Work Truck go if we optimized absolutely everything? The guesses started flying: 800 miles, 900, or maybe even 1,000. And just like that, a challenge was set,” the release says.

Kurt Kelty, GM VP of battery propulsion and sustainability, said it took integration across battery chemistry, drive unit efficiency, software, and vehicle engineering to achieve the range. 

“That’s exactly what the team delivered,” Kelty said. “This achievement is a great example of how far our EV technology has come and the kind of innovation we’re building on every day at GM.” 

Public roads near GM’s Milford Proving Ground in Southeastern Michigan were used for the range test. The final stretch took place on Detroit’s Belle Isle. 

Engineers drove the truck in one-hour shifts to fit the test into their regular work schedules, the release says. 

The truck’s hardware and software were “untouched,” the release says. It adds that adjustments to driving habits and settings, all within acceptable limits found in the owner’s manual, were made to break the record. 

The adjustments included: 

• • Maintaining an average speed of 20 to 25 miles per hour and minimizing any hard braking and quick accelerating when it was safe to do so;
  • Rarely having passengers in the truck;
  • Setting windshield wiper arms to the lowest acceptable position to reduce drag;
  • Inflating tires to their highest acceptable pressure for lower rolling resistance;
  • Removing the spare tire to lighten the vehicle; 
  • Optimizing wheel alignment;
  • Adding an accessory tonneau cover for smooth airflow;
  • Turning off climate control for the duration of the test;
  • Performing the test in summer, when the ambient temperature is optimum for battery efficiency.

“All these minor adjustments helped to increase the truck’s efficiency and maximize battery range,” the release says. “The engineers wanted to ensure that as much battery energy as possible was going towards moving the truck forward.”

However, the team wanted to perform the test in real-world environments. 

“If we drove it downhill the whole time, sure, we’d get insane mileage,” Jon Doremus, GM propulsion calibration engineering manager, said. “But that’s not what this was about. We wanted this to be real, on public roads.”

The team found that the truck’s most efficient cruising speed was 20 to 25 miles per hour, which was a realistic pace for neighborhood or city driving in Southeast Michigan. 

“Every hour behind the wheel added more insight, more miles, and a growing sense that they were about to do something big,” the release says. “This wasn’t just a challenge for bragging rights; it was a meaningful test feeding data directly into the work these engineers do every day. Every mile taught them something, and those lessons will help shape how GM continues to improve and innovate in electric vehicles.”

The truck has an EPA-estimated range of 493 miles. 

Range is important because it is the No. 1 purchase driver for the truck, the release says. 

“As the days passed and the drive unfolded, the engineers found themselves reaching beyond the goal of breaking a world record,” the release says. “They were inspired to push the limits as far as possible, setting an ambitious new target: 1,000 miles on a full charge. Now, that work has paid off in a big way. In fact, the Silverado EV that set the record was recharged and powered up a 3D printer that printed a trophy to honor the team’s accomplishment.” 

Images

Photos courtesy of GM